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Are zoos ethical in the modern age?
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Zoos remove animals from their environment

Placing animals in zoos removes them from their natural environment.
Animals Ethics

The Argument

In the past, it was extremely common for zoos to capture animals from the wild to use in exhibits. Today, this practice is mostly replaced by zoos trading animals. Constantly moving between zoos is traumatizing for the animal. It is never able to get used to an enclosure before being shipped to a different place. For example, an elephant was shipped to different zoos for decades, where she experienced neglect and abuse.[1]

Counter arguments

Removing animals from the wild is rarely practiced in modern-day. Zoos have discontinued that practice when they realized it was harmful to the animals. Now, mostly captive-born animals are moved between zoos, so they are already adjusted to living in an enclosure.

Proponents

Premises

[P1] Zoos captured animals from the wild. [P2] Zoos constantly trade their animals. [P3] Constantly moving is traumatizing for an animal.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] Capturing animals from the wild is an outdated practice.

References

  1. https://www.thedodo.com/disturbing-truth-zoo-animal-1513305581.html
This page was last edited on Monday, 26 Oct 2020 at 14:18 UTC

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